The crunch at the bottom of the Steelers' roster is as tight as it's been in the last several years. Pittsburgh is practicing playing with more defensive backs than ever before, still utilizing a rotation of inside linebackers, in need of outside linebacker depth, lacking obvious depth solutions at receiver, missing a clear complete backup to Le'Veon Bell and carrying a group of cornerbacks that's hardly locked into position or pecking order.

These are the position groups that tend to be competing with one another for the last few spots on a 53-man roster. Pittsburgh needs no such thing until Sept. 1.

But with the team headed to Lincoln Financial Field for a 7 p.m. preseason opener on Thursday, it's worth taking stock of who's likely to make the team -- based off covering training camp and the tendencies of the team since 2015:
(AP Photo/Don Wright)

Quarterbacks (3)

Keith Srakocic

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Ben Roethlisberger

Landry Jones

Mason Rudolph

Barring injury, the only way this changes is if Landry Jones gets traded to a team hurting for backup quarterbacks and the Steelers feel particularly comfortable with Mason Rudolph or Joshua Dobbs backing up Ben Roethlisberger.